There are presently many different types of bone plate systems for securing bones so that the secured bones may fuse or heal. As used herein, the term bone may refer to a bone, a bone fragment, or a portion of a bone. One application for bone plate systems is for securing broken or fractured bones so that they may fuse together. Another application for bone plate systems is securing cut bones, such as during a thoracotomy. A thoracotomy may involve cutting one or more ribs and, in some instances, removing a section of one or more ribs in order to provide access to tissues and organs within the chest cavity of a patient.
After the tissues or organs within the chest cavity have been operated upon, the cut rib(s) of the patient may be repaired. For example, if one rib has been cut, a bone plate and screws may be used to secure the portions of the cut rib together. However, ribs are relatively thin and consist of soft cancellous bone enclosed in a thin, compact layer of hard cortical bone. Driving the screws of the bone plate into the portions of the cut rib exerts an outward pressure upon the bone which may splinter the bone. Further, in order to achieve sufficient purchase in the bone, the screws may need to be driven completely through both layers of cortical bone and the cancellous bone therebetween. This may cause a portion of a screw shank to extend beyond the rib and irritate tissues within the chest cavity.
Another problem is that each rib has a delicate neurovascular bundle of a vein, an artery, and a nerve extending along the underside of the rib. The presence of the neurovascular bundle on the underside of a rib further complicates the placement of bone plate systems after the rib has been broken or cut.